Investments are made with the intent to gain value; and what greater value is there than to improve your wellbeing or that of your loved one? Yet most people don’t really view senior living as an investment which is likely why there’s such a focus on the monthly cost. However, the experience offers so much more than you may realize. Today’s communities offer a lifestyle that supports overall wellbeing prompting more and more seniors to move earlier, when perfectly healthy. That’s where the true value of your senior living investment comes in. See how.
What to Know about Wellbeing
There’s a very good reason senior living communities now focus on more than physical health. We’re all living longer thanks to advances in medicine! This allows us to design communities that truly enhance the lives of our residents in all aspects of wellness. In fact, the International Council on Active Aging has identified seven dimensions of wellness that contribute to healthy aging: emotional, intellectual, physical, vocational, social, spiritual and environmental. You’ll find an experience that encompasses all of these dimensions in senior living today.
Giving Healthy Aging a Head Start
Make no mistake, care is an integral part of life in senior living if and when it’s needed. But we know the best way to age well is to start early. That’s why in senior living you’ll find different lifestyle experiences based on needs as well as wants such as:
- Independent Living – This is a lifestyle choice designed to give you more freedom with maintenance-free living that includes home upkeep, housekeeping, laundry and a fabulous dining experience. With all this newfound free time to enjoy, we also make sure you have endless opportunities to learn new things, connect with friends and take part in activities that inspire and entertain you. Not to mention resort-style amenities that may include an on-site salon and spa, fitness center, bistro café, cinema-style movie theatre, game room with billiards and dedicated art studio as well as beautiful courtyards and outdoor areas.
- Assisted Living – Features a lifestyle that empowers independence with conveniences like housekeeping, laundry and scheduled transportation as well as services provided by professionally-trained staff that may include bathing, getting dressed or other daily tasks as needed. It’s all in an elegant, homelike environment filled with opportunities to enjoy daily life whether it’s game night with friends, exploring the local area on an outing or enjoying engaging classes and social events right outside your door. Amenities may include a 24-hour, onsite fitness center, a dining program with delicious yet nutritious chef-inspired meals and elegant landscaping as well as walking trails. Plus, many of our communities are even pet friendly!
- Memory Care – This experience is based in our commitment to maintaining the dignity and identity of our residents while also bringing joy into their lives each day. We do this in combination with our Pathways to Discovery program, specially-trained staff and an environment specifically designed to benefit those with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Residents enjoy a robust activity calendar as well as amenities such as enclosed outdoor courtyards, gardening areas with raised beds, spacious family room for gatherings, beauty/barber shop. There’s also a choice of living options with high-quality finishes, private baths and state-of-the-art safety features.
What’s more, many senior living communities feature multiple lifestyle experiences on the same campus which provides added peace of mind as residents can stay in familiar surroundings and maintain continuity of care should health needs evolve.
Taking Your Senior Living Investment Even Further
It’s important to note that the seven dimensions of wellness aren’t mutually exclusive, they overlap in supporting healthy aging. In senior living it’s easy to see how this works. Communities provide the environment to thrive in the other dimensions by making sure residents not only have the lifestyle experience that suits them best, but that they also have plenty of options available for emotional, physical, intellectual, vocational, social and spiritual fulfillment.
That’s why senior living communities like ours have a Life Enrichment Director dedicated to filling the monthly calendar with classes that fit any interest from cooking to crafts to fitness, as well as clubs, socials, games, volunteer opportunities, bible studies and/or church services, outings and even special events like live entertainment or seasonal fun. Even the grounds support wellbeing as they feature beautiful gardens and walking paths as well as outdoor space such as courtyards in which to relax and enjoy nature.
Quite simply, senior living can support overall wellness in a way that’s just not as feasible at home. The dividends from your senior living investment is the ability to live your best life. And that’s invaluable!